Phanerochaetechrysosporium, a white rot
basidiomycete, was immobilized over Luffacylindrica
sponge discs, treated with 0.1 N HCl and its potentiality for
the removal of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] from water
was investigated in both batch and in up-flow fixed-bed
bioreactor. The acid treatment of biomass increased the
uptake capacity and percentage removal of Cr(VI) from
33.5 to 46.5 mg g-1 and 67 to 92 %, respectively. Maximum
uptake of Cr(VI) was achieved at pH 2, temperature
40 °C after 100 min of contact time. The Cr(VI) sorption
on the biomass was better explained by Langmuir isotherm.
Thermodynamic studies indicated that the process was
spontaneous and endothermic. Sorption kinetic study
showed that pseudo-second-order model best correlates the
Cr(VI) sorption on the biomass as compare to pseudo-firstorder
kinetic model. The performance of fixed-bed bioreactor
was evaluated at different bed heights (5, 15 and
25 cm) and flow rates (1.66, 4.98 and 8.33 mL min-1) by
using bed depth service time model. Response surface
methodology statistical method was applied for optimizing
the process parameters. FTIR analysis showed that amino
groups were mainly involved in adsorption of Cr(VI).